1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the fields of medicine and organic chemical engineering. More particularly, the invention relates to the manufacture of healing promoting wound dressings. By way of further characterization, the invention pertains to a moisture control burn wound dressing used in instances where skin growth is necessary. More particularly, but without limitation thereto, the invention will be disclosed as it relates to a laminated article to serve as artificial skin during the treatment and healing of skin damaging burns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A burn covering has two functions. First, it should prevent excessive loss of body fluids and proteins due to uncontrolled evaporative water loss from the burned area. This water loss can be of the order of ten times greater than the normal rate of evaporation through the skin. For a victim with severe burns over a large portion of his body, the total loss is substantial and can lead to shock and death during the immediate (0-5 days) postburn period. Second, it should promote the formation of a viable interface between the wound and covering.
A viable interface is defined as a living, growing fibrin network and is desirable for two reasons. One, neutrophils and macrophages readily enter the network and kill bacteria. This action helps not only to prevent burn wound sepsis--a major cause of limb loss or death--but also to remove exudate which is typically found in a wound. Two, once the fibrin network is developed, the damaged area will more readily accept an autograft--the ultimate goal of burn therapy. A viable interface is indicated by adherence of the covering to the wound. The covering must be flexible in order to conform to the contours of the body so adherence is complete.
Presently, human-donor and porcine skin are the most successful and widely used burn coverings. Both promote the formation of a viable interface and control the evaporative water loss from the burn area. Coverings composed of those skins must be removed or are rejected by the body every three to five days. New skins are then applied. Collagen film has also been tested as an artificial skin.
Laminates of synthetic, non-biodegradable materials are also available for burn treatment. Silastic film laminated with nylon velour has been applied to animals. For example, fabrics impregnated with latex and commercially available synthetic plastic compositions have been used. Metallic foils have also been used as backing material for these types of wound dressings. Although satisfactory for limited purposes and applications, the known burn dressings lack one or more optimum parameters for burn treatment applications where skin growth is an important factor.
It is also known in the art to spray the burned portion of the patient with a solution of poly-.epsilon.-caprolactone in a solvent which evaporates to leave a covering layer. Such a treatment, although practical for emergency treatment of flash burn victims, lacks the advantages of compress type treatment in promoting the growth of new skin.